Research

The Society encourages and supports research in gastroenterology and hepatology in Aotearoa New Zealand. This includes research into the causes, diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract and liver. Research activities fall into three main types: Basic Science (laboratory-based), Clinical Research (involving patients and doctors), and Clinical Trials (usually new drug treatments).

Advantages of conducting clinical trials in New Zealand include:

• A single national ethics committee process with no cost attached. The committee meets monthly.
• A rapid regulatory approval process via the SCOTT committee, which acts under the auspices of the HRC. SCOTT committee turnaround time is usually less than 4 weeks.
• There are large numbers of patients with IBD in New Zealand, which has one of the highest incidence rates in the world.
• New Zealand has limited access to new biological therapies in normal clinical practice.